Demonstrating Aircraft Dynamics with a Low‑Cost UAV
This project delivers a foamboard R/C aircraft built from hobby‑grade parts and everyday materials, engineered to be a hands‑on testbed for aircraft dynamics demonstrations and educational experiments.
Aircraft Overview & Specifications
A practical platform for AP Physics‑adjacent demos and collegiate outreach.
Recommended (reference plan)
| Motor | ~1000 kV class |
| Wingspan | ≈ 1.41 m |
Actual Build
| Motor | ~2250 kV class |
| Wingspan | ≈ 1.66 m |
Airframe & Materials
Foamboard construction with hot‑glue assembly; planform derived from community resources (e.g., JoyPlanes forum). Lightweight structure enables rapid iteration and low‑risk field testing.
Controls & Actuation
Four‑servo setup providing elevator (pitch), rudder (yaw), and dual ailerons (roll). Layout supports standard trainer‑style flight as well as extended experiments in stability and control.
Build Timeline & Key Lessons
Initial proficiency with R/C piloting to reduce early test risk and improve the feedback loop between design and flight behavior.
Foamboard fuselage and wing built from forum schematics; rapid assembly with hot glue to prioritize iteration speed.
Powertrain and control electronics installed; four‑servo control chosen to fully articulate pitch, yaw, and roll (×2 ailerons).
Unstable first attempts revealed core physics issues: mass too high and insufficient lift.
Airframe lightened; improvements noted but not sufficient for stable cruise.
Upgraded motor and refined wing geometry; center‑of‑gravity adjusted for better longitudinal stability.
Third round of flight tests achieved reliable, controllable flight suitable for classroom demos.
Following a plan isn’t enough—treat each flight as data. Iterate on mass, lift, balance, and thrust until the aircraft teaches you what it needs.
Educational Experiments & Demonstrations
Core Concepts
Designed to make foundational ideas tangible for students in physics and introductory aerospace:
- Lift & Pressure — connect Bernoulli’s principle and pressure differentials to observed wing performance.
- Stability & Control — demonstrate pitch, yaw, and roll coupling; explore static margin via CG shifts.
- Power & Weight — show thrust‑to‑weight tradeoffs and effect of mass on takeoff distance and climb rate.
- Flight Testing — use repeatable test cards for trim flights, glide tests, and control‑response sweeps.
Sample Activities
- Angle‑of‑Attack Sweep: Observe stall onset and lift curve trends with incremental elevator inputs.
- CG Shift Demo: Add/remove small masses to illustrate effects on longitudinal stability and trim.
- Control Reversal Test: Measure roll rate vs. aileron deflection; discuss yaw‑roll coupling.
- Glide Tests: Power‑off descents to compare L/D with different wing configurations.
All activities are designed for outdoor demos with safety buffers and spotters.
Curriculum Integration
AP Physics 1 Add‑On
Use the UAV as a recurring lab demo: free‑body diagrams in flight, forces in coordinated turns, and real‑world measurement of velocity and acceleration with onboard or ground‑based video analysis.
Topics reinforced: forces, energy, motion, pressure, Bernoulli, and experimental design.
Community & Outreach
Share the excitement of flight through school demos and community events; encourage students to explore aerospace by connecting hands‑on building with the underlying science.
Build & Flight Gallery
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to mentors and supporters who guided the build, flight testing, and curriculum design.
- Mr. Rogers
- Janice Crew
- Kaleb Shaw
- Family & community supporters